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Chapter 7
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tmkc27
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06 August 2012
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Present in Death
Chapter 7
Roarke loosened his tie as the door to the conference room closed. He had just finished his last business meeting of the day. With any luck he’d be heading home in an hour then he could be with Eve. He couldn’t stop the smile that came on. Eve was pregnant.
For the last four months they had been trying and now she was. Then he frowned. Though he was thrilled at becoming a father, the timing worried him. Until Webster was found and that chip removed, they would have to keep Eve’s pregnancy a secret.
“Excuse me sir, but this just arrived for you.” Caro announced as she handed him a small box in brown wrapping paper.
“Thank you Caro. I’ll be in my office finishing some paperwork on the Holland deal then I’m heading home.” Roarke said taking the box and grabbing his briefcase.
“Yes sir, I’ll handle things. Tell Eve I hope she feels better.” Caro nodded.
“I will.” Roarke replied.
H would tell Caro once this whole Webster matter was settled, but for now he’d let her believe Eve had the stomach flu. Roarke sat at his desk and opened the box first. He arched an eye brow. Inside was a disc on a bed of flower petals.
Suddenly his gut knotted as he recognized the flower the petals came from. A petunia. Though he wanted desperately to view the desk in private, instead he turned to his desk link and called Feeney.
******************************************************************************
Feeney entered Roarke’s office and found the man in questioned standing at his window, a lit cigarette in his hand. Though Roarke looked calm, Feeney knew better. Roarke had looked worried when he called twenty minutes ago.
“Roarke.”
Roarke turned. “It’s on the desk. I wanted to watch it but decided to call you.”
“Alright, well let’s take a look.” Feeney nodded.
Roarke watched Feeney coat his hands with Seal-It then pick up the disc from the box. Feeney followed Roarke through a door and into a private conference room. Roarke engaged the computer and Feeney slipped in the disc.
“Run and copy. Display on screen one.” Roarke ordered.
The screen was filled with an image of Eve. But the Eve on screen appeared to be nineteen or twenty. She wore a NYPSD academy t-shirt and sweats and she still had long hair swept into a high ponytail. She was currently doing chin-ups.
“Smile Dallas.” Came Webster’s voice from behind the camera.
“Webster…what the hell are you doing?” Eve panted as she finished her set.
“Making a video.” Webster laughed as she dropped to the ground.
Eve bent and picked up a towel. “Why?”
“I told my mom I’d do it. She still can’t accept me being a cop. I figured if she saw what our training is like she’d stop worrying so much.” Webster explained.
“Okay, but why are you filming ME? Isn’t it supposed to be a video about YOUR training?” Eve shot back.
Webster laughed. “You look good on film.”
“Bite me Webster.” Eve chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
The screen went blank. Roarke and Feeney shared a look. Just as Feeney was about to eject the disc, the screen lit up again. It was Webster’s face now on screen. “Did you like the movie Roarke? I thought you should see me and Eve before you came into the picture. You don’t deserve her. Eve deserves to be happy, but all you’ve done is cause her pain. Soon that will end. You can’t stop the inevitable Roarke. I will have Ev.”
Roarke watched Webster hold up a picture. “Sweet Christ.”
“This is what will be waiting for her. This is the life I can give her.” Webster said.
The picture was of Webster and Eve. It was a picture from Roarke and Eve’s wedding. Except Webster’s picture took the place of Roarke’s. Roarke heard Feeney’s muttered curse beside him.
“Do you believe you can protect her? You failed to do so a year ago and now it’s time I take her from that pain Roarke.”
The screen went dark. “Roarke?”
Roarke faced Feeney. “We need to get to Eve.”
******************************************************************************
Eve opened her eyes when she felt someone sit on the bed beside her. “What do you want?”
Summerset smiled. “I see you’re your delightful self.”
“Sorry. I’m not my best at the moment.” Eve groaned.
“Nausea?” Summerset frowned.
“A little.” Eve nodded.
Summerset stood and moved to the autochef in the sitting area. He returned a moment later holding a steaming mug. “Here. I know you don’t like tea, but this may help.”
“What is it?” She asked sitting up slowly.
“Something my wife drank when she was pregnant with Marlena.” He answered.
Eve figured, why the hell not. She took the mug and sipped. It wasn’t bad. She sighed when after a few more sips her stomach settled. She looked up at Summerset. “Thanks. I still prefer coffee, but this works.”
“I figured it might. Eve, I know a thing or two about pregnancy. If you approve, I would like to go with you and Roarke tomorrow.”
Eve thought a moment. She and Summerset had grown closer when Roarke had been missing. “I’d like that. I mean, it would be nice if you could just do the check-ups or whatever I have to go through.”
Summerset smiled. “If Dr. Dimitto is agreeable, I will have Roarke order the proper equipment.”
Before Eve could respond Roarke and Feeney charged into the room. Roarke rushed to the bed. Summerset took Eve’s now empty cup and moved just as Roarke sat gathered Eve close in his arms.
“Eve. Oh thank god.” Roarke sighed.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. What’s wrong?” Eve questioned, feeling Roarke tremble.
“Webster sent a package to Roarke kid.” Feeney sighed. “It was a video. The first few minutes were…”
“Show me.” Eve interrupted.
“Eve…” Roarke began as he pulled back.
She cupped his face. “I need to see it Roarke.”
Roarke nodded. “Summerset, bring us a portable disc player.”
When Summerset left Feeney sat on Eve’s other side. “I hear you have the stomach bug.”
Eve looked at Roarke. Roarke understood. Feeney was, in his mind and he knew in Eve’s, her father in all ways that mattered. Roarke smiled and nodded.
“Well, it’s a bug alright, but the nine month variety.” Eve grinned.
“Nine mon…well I’ll be damned! That’s great! Congratulations!” Feeney beamed as he hugged Eve. “Way to go boyo.” He laughed shaking Roarke’s hand.
“Thank you. We’re seeing Louise in the morning to find out how far along she is.” Roarke replied.
Feeney’s smile faded. “Dallas, what about…”
“I’ve been thinking about that. After seeing Louise I’m meeting with Whitney and Tibble. I’ll tell them that I plan on working from home till we find Webster.” Eve said.
“Here it is.” Summerset replied walking back into the room with the portable.
Roarke loaded the copy as Summerset left. When Eve hit play, Roarke rose and moved away. Feeney stayed at Eve’s side. Unconsciously, Eve reached for Feeney’s hand. Seeing the video had left her terrified.
“Was…” She paused. “Was there anything else?”
“The disc was on top of white petunia petals.” Roarke answered, facing her.
Eve’s eyes closed as a shudder rippled through her. “Oh my god.”
T.B.C
Chapter 7
Roarke loosened his tie as the door to the conference room closed. He had just finished his last business meeting of the day. With any luck he’d be heading home in an hour then he could be with Eve. He couldn’t stop the smile that came on. Eve was pregnant.
For the last four months they had been trying and now she was. Then he frowned. Though he was thrilled at becoming a father, the timing worried him. Until Webster was found and that chip removed, they would have to keep Eve’s pregnancy a secret.
“Excuse me sir, but this just arrived for you.” Caro announced as she handed him a small box in brown wrapping paper.
“Thank you Caro. I’ll be in my office finishing some paperwork on the Holland deal then I’m heading home.” Roarke said taking the box and grabbing his briefcase.
“Yes sir, I’ll handle things. Tell Eve I hope she feels better.” Caro nodded.
“I will.” Roarke replied.
H would tell Caro once this whole Webster matter was settled, but for now he’d let her believe Eve had the stomach flu. Roarke sat at his desk and opened the box first. He arched an eye brow. Inside was a disc on a bed of flower petals.
Suddenly his gut knotted as he recognized the flower the petals came from. A petunia. Though he wanted desperately to view the desk in private, instead he turned to his desk link and called Feeney.
******************************************************************************
Feeney entered Roarke’s office and found the man in questioned standing at his window, a lit cigarette in his hand. Though Roarke looked calm, Feeney knew better. Roarke had looked worried when he called twenty minutes ago.
“Roarke.”
Roarke turned. “It’s on the desk. I wanted to watch it but decided to call you.”
“Alright, well let’s take a look.” Feeney nodded.
Roarke watched Feeney coat his hands with Seal-It then pick up the disc from the box. Feeney followed Roarke through a door and into a private conference room. Roarke engaged the computer and Feeney slipped in the disc.
“Run and copy. Display on screen one.” Roarke ordered.
The screen was filled with an image of Eve. But the Eve on screen appeared to be nineteen or twenty. She wore a NYPSD academy t-shirt and sweats and she still had long hair swept into a high ponytail. She was currently doing chin-ups.
“Smile Dallas.” Came Webster’s voice from behind the camera.
“Webster…what the hell are you doing?” Eve panted as she finished her set.
“Making a video.” Webster laughed as she dropped to the ground.
Eve bent and picked up a towel. “Why?”
“I told my mom I’d do it. She still can’t accept me being a cop. I figured if she saw what our training is like she’d stop worrying so much.” Webster explained.
“Okay, but why are you filming ME? Isn’t it supposed to be a video about YOUR training?” Eve shot back.
Webster laughed. “You look good on film.”
“Bite me Webster.” Eve chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
The screen went blank. Roarke and Feeney shared a look. Just as Feeney was about to eject the disc, the screen lit up again. It was Webster’s face now on screen. “Did you like the movie Roarke? I thought you should see me and Eve before you came into the picture. You don’t deserve her. Eve deserves to be happy, but all you’ve done is cause her pain. Soon that will end. You can’t stop the inevitable Roarke. I will have Ev.”
Roarke watched Webster hold up a picture. “Sweet Christ.”
“This is what will be waiting for her. This is the life I can give her.” Webster said.
The picture was of Webster and Eve. It was a picture from Roarke and Eve’s wedding. Except Webster’s picture took the place of Roarke’s. Roarke heard Feeney’s muttered curse beside him.
“Do you believe you can protect her? You failed to do so a year ago and now it’s time I take her from that pain Roarke.”
The screen went dark. “Roarke?”
Roarke faced Feeney. “We need to get to Eve.”
******************************************************************************
Eve opened her eyes when she felt someone sit on the bed beside her. “What do you want?”
Summerset smiled. “I see you’re your delightful self.”
“Sorry. I’m not my best at the moment.” Eve groaned.
“Nausea?” Summerset frowned.
“A little.” Eve nodded.
Summerset stood and moved to the autochef in the sitting area. He returned a moment later holding a steaming mug. “Here. I know you don’t like tea, but this may help.”
“What is it?” She asked sitting up slowly.
“Something my wife drank when she was pregnant with Marlena.” He answered.
Eve figured, why the hell not. She took the mug and sipped. It wasn’t bad. She sighed when after a few more sips her stomach settled. She looked up at Summerset. “Thanks. I still prefer coffee, but this works.”
“I figured it might. Eve, I know a thing or two about pregnancy. If you approve, I would like to go with you and Roarke tomorrow.”
Eve thought a moment. She and Summerset had grown closer when Roarke had been missing. “I’d like that. I mean, it would be nice if you could just do the check-ups or whatever I have to go through.”
Summerset smiled. “If Dr. Dimitto is agreeable, I will have Roarke order the proper equipment.”
Before Eve could respond Roarke and Feeney charged into the room. Roarke rushed to the bed. Summerset took Eve’s now empty cup and moved just as Roarke sat gathered Eve close in his arms.
“Eve. Oh thank god.” Roarke sighed.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. What’s wrong?” Eve questioned, feeling Roarke tremble.
“Webster sent a package to Roarke kid.” Feeney sighed. “It was a video. The first few minutes were…”
“Show me.” Eve interrupted.
“Eve…” Roarke began as he pulled back.
She cupped his face. “I need to see it Roarke.”
Roarke nodded. “Summerset, bring us a portable disc player.”
When Summerset left Feeney sat on Eve’s other side. “I hear you have the stomach bug.”
Eve looked at Roarke. Roarke understood. Feeney was, in his mind and he knew in Eve’s, her father in all ways that mattered. Roarke smiled and nodded.
“Well, it’s a bug alright, but the nine month variety.” Eve grinned.
“Nine mon…well I’ll be damned! That’s great! Congratulations!” Feeney beamed as he hugged Eve. “Way to go boyo.” He laughed shaking Roarke’s hand.
“Thank you. We’re seeing Louise in the morning to find out how far along she is.” Roarke replied.
Feeney’s smile faded. “Dallas, what about…”
“I’ve been thinking about that. After seeing Louise I’m meeting with Whitney and Tibble. I’ll tell them that I plan on working from home till we find Webster.” Eve said.
“Here it is.” Summerset replied walking back into the room with the portable.
Roarke loaded the copy as Summerset left. When Eve hit play, Roarke rose and moved away. Feeney stayed at Eve’s side. Unconsciously, Eve reached for Feeney’s hand. Seeing the video had left her terrified.
“Was…” She paused. “Was there anything else?”
“The disc was on top of white petunia petals.” Roarke answered, facing her.
Eve’s eyes closed as a shudder rippled through her. “Oh my god.”
T.B.C
